


I (Definitely) Deserve This

by IronWoman359



Series: Sanders Sides Canonverse Ficlets [4]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Abuse, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Manipulative Deceit Sanders, Morally Neutral Deceit Sanders, Past Abuse, Physical Abuse, Poor Deceit is a mess in this, Sympathetic Deceit Sanders, basically he's not being manipulative NOW, both are mentioned but not explicit, but he USED to be, which Virgil is not gonna shy away from mentioning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-14 01:10:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16903269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IronWoman359/pseuds/IronWoman359
Summary: Deceit has become the new subject of the Dark Sides’ torment, and he finds refuge from an unlikely source.





	I (Definitely) Deserve This

**Author's Note:**

> *Deceit speaks in mirrored truths in this fic. (so like, when Deceit tells Virgil "You don't care enough" he means "You care too much")

Deceit didn’t really know what had happened. 

Okay, that wasn’t exactly true. He did know what had happened, the others had finally done it. They’d finally turned on him. Ever since his plan to replace Patton a few months ago had failed, they’d been questioning him more and more, calling him out on his failed leadership. He’d done his best to keep them in check, and he’d told himself that it was fine, one failure didn’t mean he had to lose everything. 

How fitting that he lied even to himself. 

They’d come for him; he’d tried to run, but he’d never been particularly fast or strong, and by the time he’d managed to get away he had more bruises than he could count and his human eye was swollen shut, forcing him to stumble around half blind. 

He didn’t know how he managed to end up at the door to the light sides realm, didn’t know what had possessed him to knock, and  _certainly_  didn’t know why Virgil, after getting over the initial shock at seeing him half collapsed on the front porch covered in bruises, had elected to usher him inside rather than slamming the door in his face. 

And yet, here he was, lying down on Virgil’s bed with an ice pack against his face and with Virgil forcing him to swallow pain pills. 

“C’mon, Dee,” Virgil insisted, shoving the glass of water into the injured side’s hand. “Drink up. It’ll help, I promise. Gee, it’s like you’ve never had to patch yourself up before.” 

“I do it all the time,” Deceit mumbled, dutifully taking the pills and swallowing a gulp of water. 

Virgil frowned, and looked down at the ground.

“Oh…well, maybe he doesn’t do it to you since you’re in charge. But…um, he did it to me. A lot. And I know he did it to Greed sometimes too, but not as often as me. He didn’t… _doesn’t,_  I guess, like me very much. I mean, it’s silly, he’s Hatred, he doesn’t like  _anyone,_ but I-” 

“Hatred had nothing to do with starting this,” Deceit murmured, wincing as he shifted the ice pack on his face. “And it’s  _not_  the first time it’s happened.”

Virgil sighed, and nodded in understanding. 

“Well, welcome to our lives, I guess. Maybe now you see why I was so eager to leave, I mean-” 

“You don’t care enough,” Deceit said, surprising Virgil into silence. “It’s why Hatred loves you…why Greed welcomed you. Why I never manipulated you. You don’t care enough to be a Dark Side.” 

Virgil was silent for a moment, then he shrugged. 

“I don’t know how you mean that, but I’ll take it as a compliment at this point.” He leaned forward and pulled his comforter over Deceit’s shoulders. “You should sleep,” he said. “You need to regain your strength.” 

Deceit meant to say “okay,” but when he opened his mouth a different word came out. 

“Why?” 

“What?” Virgil asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Why…why aren’t you helping me? Why didn’t you take me in? Why didn’t you let me in your room? I was wonderful to you…why are you being so mean to me?” 

Virgil stared at the snakelike side tucked under his own covers, an unreadable expression on his face. Finally, he sighed, and shook his head. 

“We don’t treat people badly around here,” he said simply. “Not anymore. You needed help, Deceit, it’s not like I could just leave you out there for them.” 

Deceit yawned as the warmth from the blanket enveloped him, making him feel safe and secure. But there was one more thing nagging at his mind that he couldn’t let go of. 

“I deserve this,” he muttered, so quietly Virgil almost didn’t hear him. 

“What?”

“I deserve this, he said again, his voice uncharacteristically small. “You should have taken me in.” 

Virgil regarded him for a moment, then raised one eyebrow. 

“You’re right,” he said simply, making Deceit blink in surprise. 

“You don’t deserve this,” Virgil continued, folding his arms. “You were absolutely horrible to me, and the things you said did way more damage that Hatred’s punches ever did. Some of it…” Virgil took a shaky breath before continuing, “Some of it still affects me. And I  _know_  you know that, and I know you’ve still been trying to worm your way back into my head. I’m not an idiot, Dee, I’ve noticed what you’ve been trying to do.” 

“So why?” Deceit’s voice was barely above a whisper. 

Virgil sighed. 

“Because I didn’t deserve it either, when it was my turn. But…kindness doesn’t have to be deserved to be given.” He smiled, ever so slightly, and tugged at the sleeve of his purple hoodie. “Patton taught me that.” 

“I would have made a really good Patton,” Deceit murmured, and Virgil smiled. 

“I know you wouldn’t have,” he said. “If we hadn’t noticed you in the theatre, it wouldn’t have been long before we caught you.” 

“I’m not sorry,” Deceit sighed as he drifted off into sleep. The last thing he was aware of was Virgil’s hand, warm and solid, holding onto his and giving it a gentle squeeze. 

“I know you are, Dee. I know you are.” 


End file.
